


The Beginning and the End

by Casey_Wolfe



Category: Fast and the Furious Series
Genre: Alpha!Brian, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Angst (minor), Community: quartermile_km, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Omega!Vince, Rare Pairings, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-09-19
Updated: 2013-09-19
Packaged: 2017-12-27 02:01:13
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 16,444
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/972976
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Casey_Wolfe/pseuds/Casey_Wolfe
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Brian could barely believe it when he realized it.  Sure, he’d come across his share of Omegas in his time, even the rarer male variety.  He had just never met an Omega so, well, Vince-like.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks to Hellbells, Queenie, and Pixie for the beta read and bouncing ideas around with me. This is for the [Quarter Mile Kink Meme](http://quartermile-km.livejournal.com/). I claimed List #7, Brian/Vince pairing, with the A/B/O kink (with Brian NOT as an Omega). It was a fun challenge. It was supposed to be a quick smutty piece, but I ended up with a lot of plot in my porn, lol. So no smut right off, but hopefully it’s worth the wait. Enjoy!

_“I am Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End…”_

Brian could barely believe it when he realized it.  Sure, he’d come across his share of Omegas in his time, even the rarer male variety.  He had just never met an Omega so, well, Vince-like.  How he had missed that little fact when the other man was always so in his face all the time was a mystery.

It was at yet another Toretto after-race house party that he first caught the scent.  An Omega was nearby, and whoever it was smelled absolutely amazing.  Being an Alpha himself, it was only natural that an Omega would set his blood pumping.  Though he’d never experienced a reaction quite like that before.

He started to stalk around the party-goers, attempting to be subtle as he scented the air, trying to pick out more of that intoxicating smell.  Brian didn’t want to draw attention if he could help it, especially from members of the team.  When he had started to hang around, it had created a few ripples, what with Dom being the resident Alpha with his gaggle of Betas.

As he continued his sweep, he found himself narrowed in on the corner where Vince was sitting on the arm of the couch, playing his guitar.  It wasn’t until he was right up behind the gruff racer that he realized the smell was coming off _him._ Brian furrowed his brows, barking out, “Who you been sleeping with?”

Vince jumped, not having realized the Alpha was there.  Catching himself he narrowed his eyes.  “What the fuck’s it to you?” he growled back.

Brian stepped up into his personal space then.  “‘Cause I smell an Omega, and I wanna know who.”

The brunette visibly paled, his hazel eyes wide in panic, and in that moment Brian realized the truth.  Vince hadn’t been sleeping with an Omega.   _He_ was an Omega.  Before the blonde could get a word out, Vince bolted.  Retreat wasn’t something Brian thought the other capable of.

Standing there debating on whether or not to follow, he noticed Dom tailing him quickly through the front door.  Brian slumped against the couch, shocked the guy he’d been watching so closely had been an Omega all along.  Looking across the room, he spotted Jesse- he needed answers.

* * *

“V!  Stop!” Dom yelled, halting his best friend as he fled towards the drive where his car was parked.  As he moved to join him, he asked, “What’s the deal?”

Vince turned around, practically shaking, and the Alpha was immediately in his space.  Not many things could make the Omega lose it so whatever had happened to send him running must have been big.  “Hey, shh,” he soothed, wrapping him into a hug.  “What happened?”

“The buster knows,” he grumbled, and he didn’t need to explain any more than that.

Dom frowned, not knowing how that was possible.  He dipped his nose towards Vince’s neck and took a sniff.  Sure enough, there was a bit of his true scent coming through, though how Brian could have picked it up was beyond him.  Did the kid have a super-sniffer or something?

“I took my suppressants, Dom!  I swear!”  Vince had his nails digging into his friend’s arm.  “And I used all my maskers today too!”  

It was how many Omegas stayed under the radar so they weren’t hassled by Alphas.  Although, Vince had taken it to the extreme, to the point you couldn’t even tell he was an Omega anymore.  He still had a heat cycle slip in every once and awhile- and boy were those ever an event- but since he’d started his routine, never once had he been called out before.

The team knew of course.  They had all grown up together, and when puberty hit and they all learned where they fell in the scheme of things, Vince had been devastated.  The life of a male Omega was not an easy one, not with how rare they were.  Alphas would fight tooth and nail for that kind of prize, and Vince didn’t like the idea of being submissive or unable to control his own destiny.  Thankfully, he had an Alpha like Dom as a protector.

Years of trial and error, and Vince had found a way to hide himself in plain sight.  Until then though, the maskers only had done so much- only covering most of his scent so Alphas had to be close to him to sniff him out.  In the scene they traveled in though, there were _a lot_ of Alphas, which meant _a lot_ of trouble for Vince.  It was a damn good thing he was as scrappy as he was, and it wasn’t hard to see where the man’s piss poor attitude towards Alphas came from after the shit he had dealt with.

“Just relax, V,” Dom urged.  “I’ve got ya.”  

He didn’t want to tell his best friend that the newcomer was bound to find out sooner or later.  After all, Brian had managed to squirm into Dom’s good graces, and the rest of the team loved him.  He was becoming family, and family didn’t keep secrets.  Dom had figured the only damage on Vince’s part was because the guy was an Alpha.  He’d never bothered to learn a damn thing about Brian, or even stay in his presence longer than an hour at a time, to give him the proper chance.  With Vince’s past history though, he couldn’t really blame his best friend either.

The brunette actually whimpered, burrowing closer to Dom.  It spiked the Alpha in him, the protective streak he had for everyone on the team- especially for Vince.  Hell, Mia and Letty would probably say he worried over Vince more than he ever had for either of them- which said something given they were his sister and bonded respectively.  They couldn’t blame him though, not when V had been like his brother, not when he needed someone like Dom looking over his shoulder just in case.

“You should come back in,” Dom said.  “Runnin’ off with your tail between your legs doesn’t exactly lay down the law.”

Vince knew he was right- damn did he know- but he couldn’t exactly face the blonde just then.  His presence had been a confusing one to the Omega.  Part of him hated the Alpha, simply for being what he was.  Another part of him though was intrigued, and that made him confused, which inevitably turned to anger.

What was startling him the most though was the fact Brian had seemed almost _jealous_ when he thought Vince was with the Omega he smelled.   _What the hell was that supposed to mean?_ Vince shook his head- it didn’t matter.  He needed to get away, far away, and recenter.  It was something Dom had tried to get him to do whenever he felt like losing it.

“I’ll see ya at the garage tomorrow,” he grunted, pushing away from Dom’s grasp.  There was only so much comforting- read _coddling-_ he could take before it grated on his nerves.  Naturally, that meant explosive anger was next on the list and he didn’t want to do that, not to Dom.

“Alright,” the Alpha conceded, knowing his friend better than anyone.  He watched as Vince got in the Maxima and peeled away.  He heard the door open and found Brian coming out onto the porch.  As the blonde leaned a hip against the rail, Dom heaved a heavy sigh, walking up to join him.  “So, V tells me you found ‘im out,” he mentioned- no sense in beating around the bush.

“Yeah, and I already pinned Jess down for answers so...”

Dom nodded, hardly surprised- not that the Alpha had asked, nor that Jesse had rolled over so easily.  The kid had taken to following Brian around like a puppy ever since Dom had allowed him to stay, which took the others off guard and put Vince into a spiral of pissed off he hadn’t seen in quite a while.

However, Dom was a pretty mellow Alpha and never was able to find fault in Brian’s presence.  He supposed it had a lot to do with Brian’s own laid-back attitude, and willingness to follow his lead if need be.  Though the blonde had made it _very_ clear that he’d only ever differ to those he found worthy of such respect and trust.  In that, the Alphas were in agreement.  

Brian too was pleasantly surprised at how well he seemed to fit in with Dom- he usually found himself bumping heads with other Alphas.  In fact, they had been getting along swimmingly, which according to Mia was highly unusual.  Dom was a protective Alpha over things that he saw as his, which most certainly included the team, his family.

Which was why Brian was going to be _very_ careful of how he approached this topic with the Alpha.  Vince was his best friend, and even though Dom might have put himself between their fights before, this was a completely different matter.  If Brian made a wrong move, he could expect nothing less than to be pounded into the ground- not that he’d make it easy on Dom, but he knew he’d be outmatched should the other Alpha’s rage become involved.

“And what do you plan to do with that information there, Buster?”  Dom sat on the railing, looking over to meet his gaze.

Brian didn’t flinch away, even jutted his chin out a bit.  “Nothing V doesn’t want,” was his honest reply.

Dom continued to stare at him for a while longer before giving a curt nod of satisfaction.  “Just see it stays that way.”  Brian didn’t need to be told twice.

* * *

The atmosphere in the garage was charged with energy, even moreso than usual.  Vince had just finally started to come around while Brian was there, only for the events of the previous night to happen to make him twitchy and irritable.  Well, the Alpha figured he was just going to have to get over it, because he wasn’t going anywhere.

Brian was a former police officer- yet another thing that seemed to grate on Vince’s nerves.  It was _former_ because the blonde seemed to be caught in an endless cycle of getting suspended every few months for something or other.  Usually it was infighting with other Alphas, and mostly because they were jealous of the pretty boy with skill.

During his last two week leave, Brian had started work at Racer’s Edge.  He’d already filled in plenty of times before when he ended up benched and Harry needed someone.  Granted, he had never met any of Toretto’s team before that, but that was only because their orders got delivered.  And as long as he carried a badge, he couldn’t be caught at a street race, no matter how much he may have wanted to given what he and Rome used to do as kids.

That week was different though, because he was working when an order for the team arrived, and _he_ was the one to take the parts over to DT’s.  After that, he had started hanging around the store on lunch breaks, and then ended up going to a race one weekend.  When he ended up scooping up Dom as he ran from the cops after the race was crashed, he knew that part of his life was over.

He couldn’t say that Dom seemed surprised when he announced he’d turned in his badge and would be working at Harry’s full time.  Though, Brian was pretty pleased when the other Alpha said he’d have to amend that to part time, because he wanted the blonde at the garage working too.  

They even cleared a space out for him so he could work on his pet project Eclipse that he’d started to build years previous and had never had enough time- or money- to finish up.  Once Dom took him out for a little test drive in the Mazda though, he actually fronted the money for all the parts he’d need, saying Brian would be able to pay him back easy with how he was going to clean up at the races.

It was one of those days he got to spend working on his Eclipse, which he would usually take full advantage of.  However, he found he couldn’t concentrate.  He kept glancing over towards Vince, who was making sure to stay buried under the car or in the engine compartment.  It was dumb luck that the Alpha even caught it when he snuck out back.

Sighing, Brian made up his mind and followed after him.  It was long overdue that he and Vince should hash things out, and after what happened at the party, now more than ever.  He opened the door, finding Vince over at the hose, head underneath the flowing water.  As the door shut behind him, the brunette startled, flinging water around as he drew up to full height.

When he saw who it was, Vince’s eyes narrowed and he snarled.  He dropped a foot back, dipping into a fighting stance while hiding as much of his body to the Alpha as possible- a classic show of defensive aggression.  It was the only warning he would get, which to be fair was more than usual.

Brian held his hands out to the side, palms facing outward.  The last thing he wanted was a fight, or to spook Vince into rabbiting again.  It took a moment, but the Omega finally uncoiled, going back to rinsing the water on his head and neck, though one eye stayed focused on Brian the whole time.  The blonde leaned against the side of the building, hoping his casual stance would help ease whatever anxiety the other male was having.

After a minute or so, Vince turned the water off, shaking his head like a dog and sighing.  “You feelin’ ok?” Brian inquired, noticing the flush on the brunette’s neck and ears.

“Fine,” the Omega grunted back.  Water had run down onto his grease-covered white tank, and Brian forced his gaze away as Vince walked to the old picnic table and sat on top of it, feet on the bench.  “Just hot is all.”

Brian couldn’t argue.  The humidity was pretty bad that day, and the fans in the shop did little more than push hot air around.  “Why don’t you lay down in the office then?”  Dom had springed for A/C the previous summer to use in the large office for just such purposes.  There was no need for anyone to succumb to heat exhaustion.

“Said I’m fine,” Vince snapped back, a little bit of growl behind it.

The Alpha huffed at that.  “Sorry for botherin’ then.”

When he turned to go back inside, Vince barked out, “No one asked ya to come check on me!”

“No, they didn’t,” Brian shot back, moving towards the table.  “I decided to on my own.  Gotta problem with that?”

“What the fuck you doin’ out here anyway, _Buster_?” Vince challenged, a sneer playing at the corner of his mouth.

“Wanted to talk to you, but apparently you’re jus’ gonna act like a jackass.  So forget it.”

“Yeah?  And what the fuck could you possibly have to talk to me about?”  Before Brian could reply, he continued.  “I know, maybe its cause you expect me to kiss your ass now.  That it, oh great and powerful Alpha?  Mia and Jesse ain’t enough of an ego boost for you?  Tired of palin’ around with Leon?  Or maybe just too threatened ‘cause Dom’s a better Alpha than you?  Go ‘head and tell me pretty boy!”

Brian’s nostrils flared, rising to the bait despite himself.  He’d always been quick to throw down.  Most would call it Alpha hormones, Brian would call it one too many years of guys looking for a fight because of his looks.  The only thing that pushed his buttons more was when people acted like he was expecting special treatment because of his Alpha status.  Apparently, Vince wanted to hit them all for good measure.

In one leap, Brian pounced on the other man, taking them both down to the ground.  They rolled in the gravel, ignoring the bite of the stones.  Their scrapping was nothing new, but this one felt different.  There was a hesitation on Brian’s part to do any real damage.

“I came back here to talk to you!” the blonde growled out, pinning the other to the ground.  He grabbed hold of the tank, pulling him closer before slamming him back down.  “Wanted to straighten things out!”  Another slam.  “Clear the air!  But no!”  Slam.  “You wanna act like some pampered shit of an Omega?!  Fine!”

Before he could give Vince another hit, the Omega growled, reversing their positions.  “Yeah?!  You think you can come in here and just be one of us?!”  He fisted a handful of Brian’s tee-shirt before throwing a punch that cuffed his jaw.  “You don’t belong here!  You don’t know the first thing about any of us!”  Another fist caught Brian in the cheekbone, but he managed to catch Vince’s wrist.

The brunette only yanked him up so he could yell in his face.  “It’s not like you’re one of us!  And I _sure as shit_ don’t need you!”

The last bit took them both by surprise, and Vince looked like a deer in the headlights again.  His grip loosened and his body started to pull away like he was ready to run, but the hold on his wrist tightened.  “Don’t go,” Brian said, not quite a plea, though not an order either.

“Just forget it,” Vince replied, though all of the heat was gone from his voice.  When he tried again in vain to move, he found he couldn’t and growled out in frustration.  “What the hell do you want from me?!” he once more demanded.

“That shit you’ve been givin’ me...” Brian started, finally realizing what the other’s real issue was all along.  “Wasn’t ‘cause you were jealous Mia wasn’t lookin’ at you...  Wasn’t ‘bout bein’ jealous of Dom and me becoming friends...  You wanted my attention on _you._ ”

Vince struggled to get away then, and Brian shook his head, flipping them quickly to pin the Omega down.  With both of Vince’s hands captured, he looked him dead in the eye.  “V...”  When hazel eyes met his, the blonde smirked.  “Yeah, I admit I was mildly interested in Mia, hell, maybe even Leon.  But after that day you jumped me outside the store?”  Brian leaned closer, voice dropping as his breath caressed Vince’s face.  “I’ve only had eyes for you.”

He gave it a moment for that to sink in, watching as comprehension took over.  Vince was stunned into stopping his struggles.  Without waiting to see if he was indeed correct or not- though with Vince’s particular reactions Brian figured he knew the answer- the Alpha let him go, getting up to return to the garage.

All the cards were on the table now.  If Vince wanted anything to come of it, then he’d let Brian know.  He wasn’t going to force the Omega into something if he didn’t feel comfortable with it.  That had never been Brian’s style, and despite how much he may have wanted something to happen between them, he wouldn’t start now.  He only hoped Vince wouldn’t leave him waiting too long or, worse yet, reject him all together.

* * *

Vince couldn’t move.  He just laid there in the gravel, unable to even think outside the fact that Brian had been watching him all that time.  He couldn’t even be made to care that he saw through Vince’s possessive behavior.  Sure, he _did_ feel a bit jealous that the others- especially Dom- were spending so much time with the pretty blonde, but he’d noticed the more the Alpha hung around, the more Vince found himself jealous because that attention wasn’t on _him_ instead.

But, if that was the way the Alpha felt, and he knew that Vince had been trying to deny his own growing feelings, then why had he just left?  Didn’t Brian want him?  Maybe he didn’t want an Omega.  It would be weird, sure, but not completely unheard of- some Alphas were prejudice against Omegas, or simply didn’t want to deal with their heats and other Omega problems.  Perhaps that was the issue- after all, hadn’t he thought Vince was a Beta all this time?

With that in mind, Vince felt his heart sink.  Wouldn’t that just be his luck?  He’d been trying to avoid having feelings for the guy- nothing could come of falling for an Alpha he’d been telling himself- yet apparently he’d gone and done so anyway.

When the door opened again, a different Alpha came outside.  He took one look at Vince lying there and almost turned right on his heels to go back in and find Brian.  “Nothin’ happened,” he grunted, which wasn’t entirely true, and he knew Dom knew it too.

His best friend offered him a hand up and while Vince dusted himself off he was frowning.  “Said he’s been watchin’ me,” the Omega admitted.  “Then he just up and leaves.”  He looked to Dom, scowling then.  “What gives?” he demanded.

Dom quirked his lips.  “Told me last night he wasn’t gonna do anythin’ you didn’t want.”  He shook his head ruefully, glad the blonde was keeping his word, though having to give him credit on his particular tactics.  He’d really thrown Vince for a loop.  Dom decided to throw his poor friend a bone.  “He’s waitin’ on you to come to him.”

Vince’s scowl deepened, looking at the ground.  He didn’t know any Alphas like that- well, other than Dom.  Alphas made demands, forced themselves on Omegas, wanted a good heat fuck or maybe even to claim one so they could use them whenever they wanted.  Alphas didn’t do _nice,_ didn’t do _choice,_ didn’t _wait._  “I feel like I’ve been mind-fucked,” he graveled out, looking at the only Alpha he’d ever trusted, wanting so much to know what he thought.

Dom smiled knowingly.  “Yeah, I’ll bet.”  He stepped in closer to Vince, resting a hand on his shoulder.  “My advice?  If he’s what you want, then go for it.”

Biting his lip, Vince’s hazel eyes flicked away.  He found himself wanting, which scared him.  “I have to think about this,” he replied, already feeling the trace of a headache coming on.

“Don’t leave ‘im waitin’ too long, V,” Dom warned, turning to head inside.  “Brian won’t wait forever, and he’s liable to find someone else otherwise.  Hell, I don’t have to tell you how everyone hangs on ‘im.”

There was a small growl that escaped Vince’s lips at the very mention, a jealous flare passing through him.  He knew that all too well, having to endure watching as race bunnies sidled up to him, and guys tried to get into his space.  Dom’s chuckle broke through his dark thoughts, and Vince scowled at his best friend as he retreated back inside.

Left alone with his thoughts, the only thing that kept circling Vince’s mind was “fuck.”

* * *

It had been a week since their confrontation behind the garage.  One _long_ week.  With Race Wars approaching, all the local street crews were ordering parts and coming in Racer’s Edge.  Brian had been working days there, leaving a few hours left for DT’s.  Usually, by the time he arrived, all the day’s orders had been done and the team was working on their own cars.

Brian looked to his Eclipse, frowning.  He had no idea how it was going to be ready in time for the big race in the desert, not with how much Harry had him working.  Not to mention the time he _did_ get was spent being distracted by Vince.

The Omega was dumping pheromones like nobody’s business.  He knew he wasn’t the only one noticing either, though it seemed he was the only one affected.  Well, perhaps Dom was a little, though being a mated Alpha certainly seemed to curb any interest he may have felt.  Which was a good thing, as Brian didn’t feel like being compelled to flatten the other Alpha should he see him as a threat.

All the same, Brian's frustrations were growing and he worried he would end up snapping.  He wanted Vince, and the enticing scent coming off him practically begged for affection.  Until the Omega said otherwise though, there was nothing he could really _do_ about it.

Having exhausted his self-control, Brian went into the office.  He tried to take deep breaths, settling his nerves.  It didn't work though and he pounded the desk in frustration.  "Damnit!"

"Hey, that's a nice desk," a graveled voice spoke up.  Brian had been so unfocused that he completely missed the other Alpha coming in.  "Y'alright O'Conner?"

"No!" the blonde snapped.  "Fuck, Dominic!"  He pushed the heels of his hands into his eye sockets, growling in frustration.

"Yeah, I smell it too," Dom admitted.  His best friend was all but practically saying "fuck me now" whether he meant to be or not.  Clearly, his body had made up its mind- it was just waiting on the Omega to catch up.  Unfortunately, Vince had old scars that made doing that a lot harder than it should have been.

"I can't handle this anymore," Brian said.  "I'm gonna have to just stick to Harry's for a while man.  I just can't..."

Dom nodded in understanding.  "You do what you gotta do, Bri."  He sighed then.  "I'll try to talk to V."

Brian gave him a quizzical look, clearly wondering why the other Alpha would help him out like that.  “Look,” Dom explained.  "V's been my best friend since the first time we tried beating each other up in the third grade.  He's my brother.  And if I didn't think you would be good to him, I wouldda run you out that door the second you so much as eyed him like that."

"I wouldn't hurt Vince," Brian assured.

"I know."  Dom sighed, leaning a hip against the desk.  "But he's been hurt before... bad."

The blonde frowned.  He had the feeling that may have been the case.  After all, Vince's dislike of Alphas didn't come from nowhere.  Then again, it _was_ Vince...

"There was this Alpha we went to school with.  Well, senior year he asked Vince to go to prom with 'im.  Now V doesn't dance, but hey, everyone goes to prom, right?  We all planned to drink beer and race in the parking lot anyway.  So, V goes with 'im, they have a great time, and pretty soon they're dating."

By then, Brian had taken a seat on the old couch, listening intently to Dom's recount.  He wasn't liking the direction things were headed.

"Long story short, V fell head over heels for this guy.  It was just before graduation and they end up having sex.  Next Monday, the whole school's talkin' 'bout how the guy 'laid a bitch' and all the prick does is high five his douchebag friends and throw it in Vince's face."

Brian growled.  "The bastard used him so he could say he fucked an Omega?"  Dom nodded and the blonde's snarl only grew.  He had known Alphas like that back in Barstow too.  They made him sick.

"After that, Vince swore off Alphas."  Hell, it had been hard enough to get him to date again- male or female- and none lasted more than a couple dates.  Eventually, the brunette seemed to just give up and resigned himself to one night stands.  He claimed it was better that way, but Dom knew better.  

There was just too much pain inside of him.  That punk Alpha had been Vince's first real serious thing- yeah, he'd dated before, but they were different.  All that Alpha did was prove every one of Vince's anxieties about being an Omega true.

Brian had two urges then- hunt down and pulverize that damned Alpha who'd hurt Vince, and go wrap said Omega in his arms and tell him it would be alright.  Granted, if he tried that last one he would probably be met with a fist to his face.

"I promise Dom..."

The other Alpha nodded.  "I know, Brian."

It didn't need said.  They knew each other well enough by then that both Alphas understood how the other thought for the most part.  Brian would never hurt Vince- not intentionally, not if he could help it- and he would protect the Omega with everything he had.  However, that was all provided Vince even wanted to take the next step at all.


	2. Chapter 2

It was strange when Brian hadn't come around to the house that weekend after the race was over.  During the drag, he didn't even stand with the team to watch Leon win his race.  He just hovered at the edge of their space, threw a quick "good race, bro" at Leon, a muttered "cya 'round" to the others, and took off.

When Monday afternoon came around and the buster still hadn't shown for his shift, the Omega approached Dom with a scowl.  "Problem?" the Alpha asked, not pausing in what he was helping Jesse with on the Jetta.

"Where's Bri?" he inquired.

Dom simply shrugged.  "Guess Harry's down a man and it's a zoo there.  Needs 'im working."  The Alpha did pause then, coming out from under the hood.  "Why?"

Vince shrugged, backing off.  "Just wonderin'."  He looked over at the Eclipse then.  "His car ain't ever gettin' done if he ain't here."

"True.  Guess he'll be missin' out on Race Wars this year."

"Fuck that," Vince muttered, pulling his tool case over to the Eclipse.  He completely missed the smirk on Dom's face when he went back to work.  Not that the Omega would have cared.

He had no idea why, but Vince didn't want to see Brian have to miss out on the full Race Wars experience just because his car couldn't get done in time.  Brian had been plugging away at the car ever since Dom made room for it in the garage.  It wasn't right that all of it would amount to naught just because Harry was having staffing issues.

For the next couple days, Vince never touched the Maxima.  He faithfully stayed beside the Eclipse, making sure to converse with Jesse regarding what he and Brian had come up with for plans.  “Man, she’ she’s lookin’ great,” the mad scientist said, patting the Omega on the back.  “At this rate, we can get ‘er into paint by next week.”

That didn’t really satisfy Vince though.  He knew Brian would want to test her out before Race Wars, which meant racing that weekend so they had enough time to make any needed adjustments.  At the very least, if he stayed late to work on it, it would be mechanically ready.  With that in mind, Vince got back to it.

* * *

Brian sighed as he pulled in at DT’s.  Work at Racer’s Edge was insane, and only served to remind him how behind he was getting on the Eclipse every time someone came in.  It was after hours, and the team would have gone home hours ago, but Dom had given him a key in case of emergencies.

As he parked though, he noticed lights on inside.  “Strange.”  He furrowed his brows, grabbing a tire iron from the back of the truck before heading towards the door.  If someone was breaking in…  Well, he was really wishing he still had his duty gun.

The radio was turned on low, rock music filtering through it, and a low voice was half humming, half singing along.  “Vince?”

The Omega flew out from under the Eclipse like he was on fire, sitting up on the crawler.  “Bri!”  He looked away, appearing a bit sheepish.  “What’re you doin’ here?”

Smirking, the Alpha set down the tire iron by the door, walking over.  “I could kindda ask you the same thing.”  He worked his jacket off, tossing it towards the old couch.  “Came to work on ‘er.  Seems you beat me to it though.”

“I, uh,” Vince glanced up at the blonde, quickly cutting his eyes away again though.  “I followed all the plans you and Jesse decided on,” he assured.  “Didn’t want ya to miss out on getting to race in the desert with us.”

Brian smiled at that, touched at the gesture.  He couldn’t help but be surprised by it though.  “Thanks, V.”  He had to hold back from touching the other male as he walked past him to check under the hood.  Taking one look at the engine, he let out a whistle.  “Looks great man.”

“Yeah?”  The Omega perked up a bit at that.  He steeled his features, getting up to come next to Brian then.  “Got the new intercooler and bigger pistons done.”

“The T4 turbo’s in,” Brian noted.  “AIC controller?”

Vince nodded.  “Workin’ on the direct-port nitrous now.”

Brian looked over at him and smile.  “You’re amazing V.”

The Omega brushed it off.  “No big deal.”  He once more turned his gaze away from Brian.  “Just figured I’d help since you were stuck at Harry’s and everything…”

The Alpha wasn’t sure what excuse Dom had made for him, but clearly Vince wasn’t aware of what his true reason for being away was.  When he thought about it though, he realized the scent coming from the Omega wasn’t so intense anymore, and they were standing right next to each other.  While Vince was distracted, Brian leaned in, taking a quick sniff.

Jumping away, Vince looked at him in surprise.  “Sorry,” the blonde quickly apologized.  “Thought I smelled something.”

The brunette appeared as though he only half believed him.  He moved around to the quarter panel, putting more space between them.  “Look, I know you’ve been waiting on an answer and everything, but… I just…”  He growled in frustration, unable to find the words.

“You’ve been hurt before,” Brian stated.  Even had Dom not told him, it would have been an easy enough observation to make.  “V, I swear… I’m not gonna do that.”  Hazel eyes met his before shifting away again, and the Alpha couldn’t take it anymore.

He walked around closer to Vince, and for every step he took, the Omega backed up.  “I know I said I wouldn’t push…” Brian spoke slowly, moving just as languidly.  “And I won’t.  But…”  The Alpha breathed deeply, catching the spike of the other’s scent.  Vince ended up backing into the couch, stumbling and landing on it when the back of his legs hit.

Brian crouched down to look him in the eye, not wanting to intimidate him or make him feel trapped by looming over him.  Ocean eyes met seafoam and the Alpha searched their depths.  “Just…”  He leaned closer, voice dropping to a whisper.  “Just, let me have this _one_ ,” he pleaded, breath ghosting over Vince’s lips.  “Please…”

Vince accepted the soft kiss he placed on his lips, and then surprised him by leaning slightly into it.  It was slow and sensual, and Brian brought a hand up, cupping the other’s cheek.  When he pulled away, hazel eyes slowly opened, meeting his.  For a few minutes, all they could do was stare at each other, Brian’s thumb brushing over the other’s cheek bone.

“Alright,” Vince finally said, hand grasping onto the Alpha’s forearm.

“You’ll go out with me?” Brian asked, his smile bright as always.

Vince couldn’t help but return it, far from immune to that look.  “Yeah.”  His free hand laid on Brian’s at his cheek, fingers threading with his own.  “I just… I just need to take it slow.”

Nodding in understanding, Brian stood, pulling the other along with him.  “We’ll move at your pace,” he promised, but then he smirked.  “Course, as long as I keep gettin’ to kiss you when I want...”

Vince barked out a laugh, throwing his head back, and it took every bit of self-control for Brian not to lean in and taste him.  “Sure, Buster,” the Omega replied, placing their heads together.  He was needling him a bit with the nickname he’d given the Alpha since he’d shown up on the scene.  It had been intended as an insult, though as time went on it became more teasing, and now it was said with affection.

"Good."  Brian leaned in and stole another kiss, just as tender and warm as the first.  "Now why don't we finish what you started," he mentioned, tilting his head towards the car.

Somehow they managed to get the NOS injection system done without being all over each other.  Though Vince got a kick out of it when he trailed a hand down his thigh which caused Brian to startle and hit his head on the undercarriage.  And they wasted a bit of time when the Alpha chased him around the car trying to get him back- which concluded with Vince kissing his sore head.

Brian ended up driving him home- since the Omega had drove in with Dom that workday and had planned to spend the night on the shop couch.  Before Vince got out of the truck, the Alpha grabbed his hand.  "So do I get a goodnight kiss for bringin' you home?"

The Omega shook his head but was smiling all the same.  He leaned in, grabbing hold of the blonde's chin and placed a kiss on his lips.  There was no hesitance there and both smiled as they parted.  "See ya at the shop tomorrow?"

Brian smiled brightly at him.  "I'll be there."  He waited to make sure Vince got into his apartment alright before driving away.  Things were looking up- his Eclipse was nearing completion, and he had the man he'd been waiting on as his boyfriend.  Life was good.

* * *

Brian was at the shop full time for the rest of the week.  Vince and he worked on the Eclipse side by side the whole time.  By Friday it was ready to go, and Jesse stripped all the old paint down to bare metal- there would be time the next week to get it in paint.  In the meantime, Brian wanted to help the Omega tinker with a few things on the Maxima.

"You gonna get her racin' tonight?" Brian inquired.

"Figured I'd let you throw down tonight," Vince replied.  "I'll try to get in tomorrow."  It wasn't unusual for multiple races during a weekend, but with Race Wars so close, everyone tried to get as many test runs in under their belts as possible.

“Do I get a prize if I win?” Brian asked cheekily, crowding into the other’s space.  

Vince chuckled, leaning in to place a trail of kisses along the blonde’s jaw before nibbling on his earlobe.  “We’ll see,” he answered huskily in his ear, and Brian wouldn’t deny it sent a shiver down his spine.

The others on the team had noticed their changed behavior, though none had bothered to comment or ask the obvious until then.  “Are you guys finally goin’ out or what?” Jesse commented, walking over to them.  The pair grinned at the kid which was answer enough for him.  “‘Bout fucking time,” he muttered, walking off with laughter following him.

Brian looked over, noticing Dom watching them.  Their eyes met and the other Alpha gave him a small nod of approval before getting back to work.  Everything was going to be alright between them, Brian just knew it.

* * *

To say the Eclipse was beautiful was an understatement.  She flew.  She glided through the air like she had wings.  In fact, it gave Brian an idea for the paint job- something he and Jesse had never discussed.  That could wait though, as he practically stumbled getting out of the car so fast.

He immediately wrapped Vince into a hug before giving him a passionate kiss.  All the rush of adrenaline had him soaring just as the car had been, and he fed all of that energy into the kiss.  Vince growled low in his throat, nipping at the Alpha’s lower lip as he pushed back to match his fire.  He may have been an Omega but he _wasn’t_ submissive, and Brian liked that about him.  

The Alpha wanted an equal- someone strong and independent.  Vince was that person.  He was everything Brian could hope to want and _more._ He only hoped Vince would allow him to show him that- to show him that he deserved love and respect as much as the next person.

“Love you, V,” Brian spoke into his ear.

He felt Vince smile into the crook of his neck.

* * *

Having won his own race the next night, Vince wasn’t surprised when Brian crowded into his space, pressing him against the side of the car to kiss him.  “Shall I be your trophy?” the Alpha asked teasingly, his voice deeper than usual with a sexual undertone.

Vince moaned softly into the kiss he was given, fingers threading into golden curls.  Brian was going to be the death of him if he kept it up.  He had noticed since that night at DT’s, he was slowly losing that nagging in the back of his brain.  When he looked at the blonde now, he didn’t see an Alpha, he just saw _Brian._ Warm, caring, bubbly Brian.

He hadn’t said it the previous night, because he wasn’t sure of it then- he didn’t want to say something like that and not mean it.  When he had gone home and thought about it though, he realized he felt the same too.  Vince pulled away then, meeting blown out blue eyes.  “Love you too, Bri.”

The Alpha’s brilliant smile went straight to his gut, and Vince leaned in to kiss him again.

* * *

The house party was just like any other, except like the previous night Brian and Vince were spending it together.  They had danced for a bit before ending up on the couch the Omega tended to occupy.  He had his guitar pulled into his lap, Brian curled up behind him, his chin resting on the other's shoulder.

The music of the guitar clashed with what was playing in the other part of the living room, but Brian blocked it out to listen to the brunette.  Vince was singing softly, his husky voice only carrying as far as their little corner.  Brian nuzzled into his neck, smiling softly as his boyfriend played.

“Hey,” Vince spoke, “I’m gonna grab a beer.  Want one?”

“Sure.”  Brian kissed his temple before letting go.  “Thanks.”

When Vince didn’t return right away however, the Alpha made his way into the kitchen.  He furrowed his brows, finding his partner wasn’t there.  He was about to leave to look elsewhere when he heard Dom’s voice carry in through the open window above the sink.  Peering out, he saw the other Alpha and Vince talking outside.

“I’m not going into heat!” Vince argued.

Dom sighed heavily, holding his temples.  “V…  We do this every time.  You know I’m right, you just don’t want to admit it.”

“I don’t feel any different,” the Omega continued on stubbornly.  Dom stared him down, crossing his arms over his chest.  Vince growled in annoyance.  “Alright, fine!”  He threw up his arms.  “Great fucking timing, I know.”

“Nothin’ we can do about it.”  Which was true.  Even taking suppressants wouldn’t stop a heat cycle once it was in motion.  “I’ll make the call…”  Brian frowned, not entirely sure what the other Alpha meant by that.  All he knew was that if Vince was indeed going into heat, he wanted to talk to him about it.

The pair finished up, Dom heading towards the back door.  Brian ducked his head into the fridge, acting as though he were getting some more beers.  Dom passed by without a single glance in his direction, going into the living room.

Brian looked back out the window, hearing the muttered cursing from the Omega as he moved towards the garage.  Taking a quick look around, Brian slipped out the door, heading out there as well.  He needed to talk to Vince.

* * *

Kicking the tool chest harshly, Vince cursed under his breath.  He then punched one of the wooden support beams before laying his head against it.  “Don’t hurt yourself,” a voice spoke behind him.  He twisted his head, noting it was Brian standing in the doorway.  

Sighing, Vince turned around, back leaning against the beam.  “Why not?” he asked without thinking, anger rippling through him.

Brian shook his head, sighing as well as he approached the Omega.  “Hey,” he chastised, grabbing hold of his chin gently.  “Maybe cause I’d be upset if my guy got himself hurt.”

Vince rolled his eyes, but there was the ghost of a smile on his lips.  “What are you doing out here anyway?”  The Alpha had released his chin, leaning in to scent in the crook of his neck.  Stiffening, Vince realized exactly why he was doing that.  “You heard.”

“Surprised I didn’t notice,” Brian admitted, pulling away to meet his troubled hazel eyes.  The scent wasn’t in your face as most Omegas’ going into heat would be- Brian figured it had something to do with all the maskers the man used- but he still should have detected the change in his scent.  Clearly Dom had a good hold on the changes Vince went through during such a time.

“Hate this,” Vince muttered.  “The suppressants make it so I don’t have ‘em on a regular basis, but still…”

Brian frowned, pressing into his boyfriend.  He’d been with Omegas previously, and even took a few through heats before.  He knew how hard it could be going through the time alone, and he didn’t like the idea of Vince having to deal with that- not when he could be there.

“Lemme help,” the Alpha offered.  Vince stiffened and Brian could practically hear the thoughts racing through his mind.  “Before you freak out… it’s not about heat sex, ok?”  Vince pushed against him and the Alpha went easily, giving him the space he wanted.

“Yeah?” he huffed.  “Well you know why I find that hard to believe…”

“I know.”  Brian brushed the back of his knuckles over the other’s cheek, drawing his attention.  When their eyes met, he continued.  “V, I’ve been with Omegas, Betas, hell, even other Alphas.”  That took the brunette by surprise- Alphas pairing together was certainly odd.  “I don’t care about someone’s _status_.  You’re my _equal_ , no matter what you are.”

Vince broke eye contact, looking at the ground.  Dom and the team were the only ones who had ever treated him as though he wasn’t different, that made him feel like he wasn’t an Omega.  “I dunno…” he admitted softly, still unsure.

Stepping back into his space, bodies lying flush together, Brian asked, “What’ll you do then?  Does Dom keep you here?”

The Omega shook his head.  “I used to stay here, but…  Just got too complicated.”  Dom wanted nothing more to be able to protect Vince through such a vulnerable time, but the things the Omega would go through, the pheromones he would dump into the air…  Even the Betas would get twitchy and moody, all wanting to go and aid their Omega any way they could.

“I go to one of the Omega Heat Centers,” Vince explained.  They were designed for unpartnered Omegas to have a safe space to go during their heats.  Security allowed them to be kept safe and sound, and they were afforded the privacy to get through everything.  The people there were nice enough, and the facility itself was great, but that didn’t mean Vince liked to go there.

The pain.  There was _so_ much pain.  It was a reaction to not being mated.  An Omega’s body was _craving_ sex during their heat, trying to create new life.  Vince was tired of it, and if he was being honest with himself, there was part of him that was curious what heat sex was like.  Although, he figured most Omegas wondered the same thing- anything should have been better than the alternative, right?  Still, Vince knew that wasn’t the reason for his curiosity.

“Lemme help you,” Brian whispered.  “I don’t want you to hurt if I can do somethin’ about it.”  He leaned in, resting his forehead on Vince’s shoulder.  “I wanna protect you, V.”

Turning his head, Vince placed a kiss to the Alpha’s temple.  “I can’t believe I’m even considering this,” he muttered.  After a few more moments of holding the blonde in his arms though, he conceded.  “Alright, Bri.”

“Yeah?”  Brian was smiling, the same bright smile that always seemed to get to Vince.  “How close are you?”

Vince shrugged- it was hard to say.  Different factors triggered an Omega’s heat- stress, being around a lot of Alphas- and it also affected how quickly that heat could come on.  “Noticed it starting yesterday, so, within the next day or so?”

Brian nodded.  “Ok.  You wanna stay at your place, or…”

The Omega’s reply surprised him.  “Your place’ll be fine.”

Not helping the smile on his face, Brian nuzzled into the other’s hair, taking in his scent.  Vince trusted him if he was agreeing to go through a heat with him- not only that but to do so in the Alpha’s domain.  In honesty, it was a better location for him to be anyway.  Rather than the Omega’s apartment, Brian’s small home out on the beach was a bit more secluded, and better suited to privacy.

“Why don’t we go get your stuff then?” Brian suggested.

“And just where are you planning to go?” a deep voice spoke from the doorway, causing them both to jump- Dominic.

The blonde was the one to reply.  “V’s gonna spend his heat with me.”

Dark brown eyes cut over to the Omega.  “That true?”

“Yeah, Dom.”  Vince wrapped his arm around the blonde Alpha’s waist, chin resting on his shoulder as he looked at his best friend.  Without words he was trying to assure Dom that it was his choice that he’d made freely, not just some intimidation on Brian’s part.

Dom nodded in acceptance.  “If you need _anything_ …”  Vince nodded and the Alpha looked to Brian next.  “Same goes for you.  Anything happens, you call me.”

“I’ll protect him Dom,” Brian assured.  He turned, kissing the top of Vince’s head since he was still leaning against him.  

Dom could only smile softly, watching the pair as they looked at each other.  He could see the love there, and he knew Brian could- and _would_ \- protect his lifelong friend.  Still, the Alpha worried what Vince would do when his heat actually hit, and if he would be able to handle the emotional aftermath.

Only time would tell.


	3. Chapter 3

Vince seemed to settle in fine at Brian’s home.  He had dropped his duffle bag in the Alpha’s bedroom- he’d been offered the guest room, but Vince didn’t see the point in being shy about sharing space at that point.  He was leaning against the frame of the sliding glass door, letting the breeze from the ocean settle some of his nerves.

He didn’t jump when Brian nestled in behind him, even leaning back into his embrace.  The Omega wouldn’t lie to himself- he had it bad.  He really cared about Brian, loved him, and he knew the other man felt the same.  So when he turned his head to meet those sparkling blue eyes, he smiled softly.

“You ok?” Brian asked, nuzzling into the hair at the nape of his neck.

“Yeah.”  Vince looked out at the waves lapping gently at the shoreline.  He sighed then, shaking his head as he pulled away.  “No,” he admitted, walking out onto the patio.  “I guess not.”

“What’s wrong?”  Brian followed him outside, gazing at him in concern.  He figured it was only natural that Vince should feel nervous- hell, even he was a bit with this being a new partner.

“Just…”  He growled, looking to Brian, frustrated because he didn’t know himself.  “I just…  I’m an Omega.  You’re an Alpha.”

“And?” Brian asked nonchalantly.

“ _That,_ ” Vince continued, coming closer so they were almost touching.  “You keep acting like it doesn’t matter.”

“It doesn’t,” he answered evenly.  “I already told you that.  I could care less _what_ you are V.  I want you for _you._ ”  He reached up, threading his fingers into brunette hair, pulling him into a soft kiss.  “I want an equal.  Someone strong and powerful.  You’re that person, V.”

Vince wanted to scoff, wanted to call him on his bullshit, but that was the thing… he knew every bit of what Brian had said was true.

“Look, I know you’re nervous ‘bout this whole heat thing, so why don’t we do somethin’ about that?”  He grabbed hold of Vince’s hand, pulling him inside and towards the bedroom.

“What are we doing?” Vince asked wearily.

Brian smiled as he opened his door, walking backwards towards the bed.  “Our first time should be something special, something you’ll remember.  When your heat starts… you may not remember everything through it.  So…”

Vince swallowed hard.  He knew how dazed he was during his heat, and the thought that he wouldn’t remember…  Hell, the thought of them taking this next step…  “You want to have sex _now_?” he asked bluntly.

Sitting on the edge of the bed, Brian nodded, urging the Omega to sit next to him.  “And just to show you how serious I am…” he began, fingers drifting under Vince’s shirt, lightly brushing skin as he leaned in to whisper in his ear.  “I want you to top.”

Vince inhaled sharply, not expecting that.  Nor was he expecting the tube of lubricant placed into his hand.  “You’re sure about this?” he questioned.  Though when he met Brian’s gaze, all he could see was just how certain he was.  He watched the blonde lay back on the bed without a word, as much of an invitation as he needed.

Taking a deep breath, Vince nodded, crawling over top of the Alpha.  He swallowed the lump in his throat, leaning down to kiss him.  Brian’s slow and sure return of the kiss, hands wandering down his sides to settle on the Omega’s hips, had Vince relaxing into the Alpha.  Clothes slowly came off, being tossed haphazardly around the room.

“S’ok, V,” Brian whispered in his ear.  He could feel the blonde spreading his legs, nestling them on either side Vince’s.

The Omega could only nod, slicking his fingers to begin prepping his boyfriend.  Whenever he’d thought about what sex would be like between them, he’d certainly never pictured anything like _this._ Watching Brian’s face as he gave over complete control, letting Vince’s fingers slip inside him, all the brunette could do was make a strangled noise in the back of his throat.

A gentle hand was laid onto Vince’s forearm and he looked up to meet dilated blue eyes.  “More,” Brian spoke, voice deeper than usual.  The Omega swallowed again, but added another finger.  He knew what he liked, and mimicked that, hoping that the Alpha would like it too.  Apparently he did, if the long moan was any indication as he scissored his fingers.

“Vince,” he breathed.  “Need you in me… now.”

Vince’s heart rate spiked at that.  He licked his lips, nodding a bit.  He added a generous amount of lube to his erection, which ached at the touch, before lining himself up.  Once more he watched Brian as he breached into his body, growling softly as the Alpha threw his head back, groaning.  “Beautiful,” he whispered, leaning down to nuzzling into Brian’s neck.

Humming with pleasure, the Alpha started to move, pushing against the man above him.  “Come on, V…  I’m not a girl.”  Brian liked things a little rough.  Sure, he didn’t mind gentle love-making, but he preferred to have things hard and fast if he was on the receiving end.

At that though, Vince shook his head.  “No, Bri.  Wanna take this slow.”

“Alright, baby,” he assured, carding his fingers into thick brown locks.  “You set the pace, ok?”

Vince nodded, pulling carefully out of the Alpha almost all the way before pushing in just as slowly.  He continued the gentle pace, seeing just how open Brian was in his response to the pleasure he was receiving.  The blonde could be pure ice, but here he was, melted underneath Vince, not holding back his cries.

Their lips crashed together and Brian’s tongue slid into his mouth.  Vince sucked on it, swallowing the moans he was trying to make.  He pulled away, settling back on his haunches.  Canting Brian’s hips, the Omega drove deeper inside him, making them both moan deeply at the sensations.

“Need you to mark me,” Brian panted, crying out as the Omega tagged his prostate.  He had been with other partners before, male and female, bottomed and topped, it didn’t matter.  However, none of them had ever made him feel the way Vince was doing.  “Need you to come in me…”

Vince growled, his nails digging into the blonde’s hips possessively.  He was already teetering on the edge, managing to warn the Alpha.  “Come with me, Bri.”

A couple more thrusts had Brian crying in release, muscles clamping, pulling Vince along with him.  The Alpha could feel himself being filled and groaned, eyes fluttering closed.  He took him a moment to realize Vince was placing soft kisses along his collarbone, up his neck, lips hovering next to his ear.  “You’re _mine,_ ” he spoke before pulling out.

“Yours,” Brian confirmed, smiling softly.

Taking a quick look around, Vince went into the on suite bath, grabbing a washcloth from the linen closet and wetting it.  He washed himself off, rinsing the rag to bring it to Brian.  He kissed the blonde softly as he cleaned him up, tossing the rag into the shower before slipping into bed.

Vince sighed happily as he curled up with Brian.  It was odd, how comfortable he felt, how at peace he was.  After everything he’d been through, there he was, with an Alpha of all things.  Vince couldn’t say that he minded in the least.

Looking up at Brian, he met bright blue eyes and smiled.  “You ok?” the Alpha asked.

“More than ok,” Vince answered, snuggling into his neck.

Brian smiled brightly, a hand running up and down the Omega’s back.  He held onto him tightly, turning to nuzzle his nose into brown locks.  Having Vince beside him was unlike anything else he’d experienced.  Brian had a good feeling about where things were going between them.

“Get some rest, V,” the blonde whispered into his ear.  “You’re gonna need it.”

Vince snorted, swatting at the Alpha playfully.  He knew Brian was right though.  His heat was close, and their little activities had probably only spurred to move things along.  “Night, Bri,” he murmured.  Vince gave him a little nudge as he added, “I expect breakfast in the mornin’.”

“Spoiled Omega…”

* * *

Vince dropped into heat in the mid-afternoon, sitting in the living room watching the game while Brian had been cleaning up in the kitchen after lunch.  The Omega doubled over, groaning in pain.  The want and desire to mate washed over him, making him squirm as his arousal stirred.  

He hated this- the pain, the lust that never really went away.  The week of torture it was if you went unmated.  This time was different though, or at least it promised to be with Brian there to help him.

 _Brian!_ He remembered the Alpha in the other room and tried to call out for him, but all he could manage was a loud whimper.

What followed would have been comical if it weren't for current circumstances.  Brian almost slipped coming out of the kitchen so fast and literally leapt over the back of the couch to land beside the other male.  "V, you ok?" he asked, taking his face in his hands.  One sniff of the air told him all he needed to know though.  "S'ok, V... I'm here."  

He pulled at the Omega's arm to make him stand.  "Let’s get you to the bedroom."  The least he could do was make Vince comfortable, no matter how much his nature drove him to want to simply pin the Omega down and fuck him right then and there.  Supporting the brunette as they ambled down the hall though, Brian was barely holding to his famous control.

When Vince hit the bed, he started wiggling out of his clothes, feeling like he was on fire.  By the time he was stripped, Brian was hovering above him just as nude.  “Relax,” he urged.  “Don’t wanna hurt you.”  Vince nodded, trying his best to do just that, but the pain was too great.  

Brian could smell the arousal, the male musk of an Omega in heat.  It was calling to every fiber of his being.  He felt the slick as he moved against Vince’s opening, feeling the brunette go suddenly still.  “S’ok,” the Alpha murmured, placing a hand on Vince’s abdomen as he pushed inside.

To Vince, the intrusion felt like he was burning up, and he threw his head back and whimpered.  “Brian,” he groaned out as he was slowly being filled.  When the blonde fully seated in him, they both started to pant.

Kissing along the Omega’s jaw, Brian made calming sounds as he began to move- just a little, but enough for Vince’s body to trigger a reaction.  The brunette had to blink a few times, shocked that the pain was fading away, that the usual crazed desire and haze he was used to during his heat was nowhere to be found.  Oh, he was undoubtedly more turned on than was normal, but it felt… good… _really_ good.

Vince moaned, pushing back against Brian, causing the Alpha to smirk.  He’d been with other Omegas during heats to know the signs.  No longer in pain, all Vince wanted was to be well and truly fucked.  And Brian was more than Alpha enough to give it to him.

Snapping his hips, Brian set a punishing pace, sinking hard and deep with each thrust.  Vince met each and every one, alternating between growls and whimpers.  When he altered the angle, brushing across the Omega’s prostate, that changed to one long moan.  Vince was condemned to a babbling mess, writhing with pleasure against the man above him.

Smelling Vince just on the edge, and being there himself, Brian bit down on the tendon of the Omega’s neck.  It was hard, and would leave marks, but didn’t break skin.  Vince howled in pleasure, being marked- _claimed-_ by this Alpha, and felt himself fall into oblivion.

Blinking, the Omega slowly opened his eyes, realizing he had blacked out.  It couldn’t have been for more than a moment, as Brian was lying on top of him, licking and kissing the place he’d marked Vince.  “You with me V?” he asked in his ear.

Vince nodded, swallowing thickly.  “Always,” he replied without thinking, his mind swimming in a state of bliss he was unfamiliar with.

Brian chuckled, nuzzling into his neck.  “It only gets better from here baby,” he assured.  That very thought made the Omega groan, burying his face into the other’s blonde locks.

Vince had never experienced intercourse that felt this way before, and he couldn’t be sure if that was due to being in heat, it being with Brian, or both.  As he looked into ocean eyes he smiled softly.   _Both._

* * *

Breakfast was on the patio overlooking the water.  Vince sighed happily, leaning back in his chair and relaxing, a smile on his face.  “This is great,” he mentioned, feeling every fiber of his being given over to contentment.

Brian smiled, taking him all in.  “Glad you like it here,” he replied honestly.  “Actually been kindda lonely.  All this space and just me.”

“Please,” Vince scoffed.  “Sure you’ve had plenty of dates over.”

Brian shook his head.  “Not so much.  Just came to LA a couple years ago after all.”

“Don’t you get any family that comes to visit?”

Frowning, the Alpha shook his head.  “Only child.  Mom died from cancer.”  Which was why he had ended up moving anyway- nothing was keeping him in Barstow then.  He shrugged adding, “Dunno who the fuck my father is, ‘cept he gave me my name and’s never been around.”

Vince grunted at that, and Brian continued, “And then there’s my best friend who wants me dead.”  The Omega raised a questioning brow.  “He got busted for boostin’ cars- we actually met in juvie for the same thing- ‘cept when he got busted this time, I was on the force.  Didn’t matter that I’d only been there like a month, or that I had no idea they were gonna raid the place they were keepin’ the shit.  As far as Rome’s concerned, it was my fault he got busted and put upstate for three years.”

“Sorry,” Vince said, voice uncommonly low rather than the usual loud timber.

“S’ok,” Brian answered just as soft.  “Made peace with all that a long time ago.”

There was silence between them for a bit before Vince finally spoke up.  “Y’know, my ol’ man?  He wasn’t around much either.  When he was… well, let’s just say he was drunk off his ass.  Beat on me and Mom.  Said it was ‘Alpha privilege.’”  Vince snorted.  “The day he found out he had a ‘bitch’ for a son was the same day he threw me out on the street.  Literally.”

He pushed his plate away, not feeling up to eating any more with the way the conversation was going.  “Was always lucky to have Dom and his family.  They didn’t even blink when I showed up on their doorstep, soaking wet from the rain.”  He scoffed.  “Then again, it wasn’t the first time either.”  The Toretto house had been a safe haven for him for so long.

Vince had taken to sleeping in Dom’s bed after that.  It might have seemed stupid, to sleep in an Alpha’s bed when he himself was an Omega, but Dom had always made him feel safe and protected.  He’d never _once_ lifted a finger to harm him, or to try and take something from him.  The only reason he’d left Dom’s side was because they soon grew too big and bulky to stay in the same twin bed.  

Instead, they moved him into the basement where he remained until after Dom came home from prison and Vince got his own space.  Dom had been against him leaving, but he realized that they weren’t kids anymore.  He couldn’t keep Vince in his bed, safe and sound.  The Omega needed his space and Dom would always do his best to look after him.  He’d been the only Alpha Vince could say he truly trusted… until now.

"I can see why that would make you dislike Alphas," Brian said.

Vince shrugged.  "Honestly, that never factored in it for me.  It was highschool that made me that way."

Brian picked at the table, admitting, "Dom told me 'bout what happened with that Alpha.  The one that took you to prom."

Vince growled, looking away from him.  "Yeah, well...  Believe me,” he stated.  “That ain’t the only reason I hate Alphas.”  He could feel Brian’s gaze on him, already knew the look he’d find there- a mix of curiosity and concern.  He needed to tell Brian, even if it were painful to remember.  The Alpha had been so open and honest with him from the start, had treated him with love and respect, and if he wanted to make things work between them…

“V, I saw a lot of shit while I was on the department.  Battered Omegas, hate crimes, even prejudice in our own ranks.  And lord knows the shit I saw in school.  Nothin’ would surprise me at this rate.”

Vince nodded.  “S’ppose you’re right.”

When he went silent, Brian laid a comforting hand on his.  “So what happened?”

“Outside of the normal shit that Omegas take?” he asked rhetorically.  He sighed.  “‘Bout two years ago, this Alpha found me out.  Now, I got damn good at hiding my scent-”

“Don’t I know,” Brian mused.

“But wasn’t always like that.  There’s still people in the scene that know what I am, not that they talk about it… anymore at least.”  

Shifting uncomfortably, Vince continued, “This Alpha prick comes up to me at a race, actin’ like king shit.”  Honestly, it wasn’t that unusual an attitude in the racing scene, especially with Alphas, but that guy had been extra cocky.  “So, I took ‘im down a peg or two when he didn’t get the idea that ‘no’ meant ‘no.’  Or in this case ‘fuck off’ meant ‘take a walk.’”

“You pounded him into the ground, didn’t you?” Brian assumed, knowing the brunette’s temper all too well.

“Yup.  Embarrassed the shit outta him.”  Vince smirked momentarily before remembering the events that followed.  “So to save face, he and his boys jumped me one night by my apartment.  Said he’d show me just what a bitch like me was good for, that I needed put in my place.”

Brian paled, mouth going dry.  “Vince…”

“When he was done with me, he dumped me in front of Dom’s, left me bleeding out on the side of the road.  Spent the next week in the hospital.”

Vince looked up at the Alpha, seeing the same blood lust in his eyes that Dom had had.  “While I was laid up, Dom found the bastard and beat the shit outta him.  Leon says he almost killed him.”  He shook his head then.  “Did it at a race too- hence why no one speaks ‘bout my status anymore.  Lucky no one reported it.  Dom wouldda gone back to prison… ‘cause a me.”

Brian shook his head.  “Don’t you dare blame yourself,” he said firmly.

“I don’t.  I blame the fucking Alpha.”  Vince sighed, looking quietly out at the water before continuing, “All the Alphas I’ve met outside of Dom have only served to reinforce the fact that there’s nothing good to be found there.”  He knew it was unfair, knew there _were_ good Alphas out there.  He just never wanted to let any of them in, let them near him, simply out of habit.  Even when he found the perfect maskers and suppressants, he wanted nothing to do with any of it.

Looking up at Brian, the Omega gave a crooked grin.  “Guess what I’m tryin’ to say is that I’m glad I found you.”

Brian made a noise in the back of his throat, clearing the little space between them and wrapping the Omega in his arms.  “Ain’t ever gonna hurt you, V,” he promised.  “I love you.”  He kissed the brunette's temple, feeling Vince tighten his hold on him.

“Love you too, Bri,” he whispered, but the Alpha could still hear his voice break.

Brian drew him into a deep kiss, putting all his tender desire into it.  He wanted Vince to know more than anything that he was safe and loved.  If his confession about what happened was anything to go on, then Vince trusted him immensely, and Brian would make sure he was always worthy of that trust.

* * *

Over the course of the first day, the pair didn’t leave the bedroom much.  It was the way of an Omega’s heat cycle.  The first were always painful, urgent, demanding.  As time went by though and he made it past the first few cycles, things started to settle.  Things weren’t as painful, and they were able to take more time with things each and every cycle that passed.

Brian had known all about what would happen, given his past history with Omegas in heat before.  Vince had of course learned about it in highschool- those sex ed classes that Omegas took separate from the others.  Though he honestly had wondered how accurate any of that information was- well, the stuff he’d paid attention to.  Being only one of a half dozen male Omegas in the class, he’d felt more like hiding than paying attention.

Once they’d gotten over the hump the second day, Vince could honestly say he should have done this years ago.  It was _so_ much better than suffering through his heat alone.  Though, he knew better than to think like that.  He could have never gone to an Alpha- not even _Dom-_ to have them as a heat partner before Brian.

It was Brian…  It had always been Brian.  Ever since he walked into their lives, Vince had been fascinated.  He may have never admitted it, even to himself, but it was true.  The Omega had been pulled in, and his violent reactions had been caused by that- at the time- unwelcome desire.  He hadn’t wanted an Alpha, hadn’t wanted to feel that way.  He’d been scared.

Looking at the beautiful blonde beneath him then, his eyes met those icy blue depths.  Vince’s lips quirked as he rocked back and forth, riding the Alpha.  Brian’s fingers were wrapped around the Omega’s hips.  He watched Vince’s every move, caring only for the Omega’s pleasure without worrying for his own.

Vince came, crying out Brian’s name.  He felt the Alpha follow him, thrusting up into him and holding them tightly together.  As they came down from their high, Brian sat up, wrapping his arms around Vince’s waist and kissing him softly.

No words needed said.  Vince knew he was gone, lost to his feeling of belonging.


	4. Chapter 4

Vince yawned, stretching his arms up over his head as he walked down the hall.  When he reached the entrance to the living room, he paused, hearing Brian talking to someone.  He leaned against the wall, seeing the Alpha on the patio, the sliding glass door left open.  It wasn’t very polite of him, but he listened in.

“You’ll seriously wait the extra time?” Brian asked skeptically.  “Why?”  Whatever the person at the other end replied had the Alpha nodding.  “Thanks.  I really appreciate it.”  A pause.  “Yeah, yeah, I’ll do it.”  Another pause.  “Alright.  I’ll give ya a call when I can.  Thanks again.”

Once Brian had hung up, he turned to come inside, noticing Vince hovering there.  “Hey, you’re up,” he spoke brightly.

Vince nodded.  “Who was that?”

“My old boss,” he admitted.  “One of the guys is retiring.  Wanted me to come down for this party or whatever at the station.”

“Sounds boring to me,” Vince mused, coming off the wall to join the Alpha.  He couldn’t imagine a retirement party would be anywhere near as fun as the race parties at the Toretto house.  “You goin’?”

Brian shrugged.  “I owe ‘im a favor.”  The Alpha wrapped an arm around Vince’s waist when he got close enough, drawing him in and giving him a kiss.  “Now that you’re awake…” he spoke in a low, suggestive tone.  “Why don’t we have some fun?”

Vince barked out a laugh.  “I think I’m still worn out from last night.”

“Well then, let’s relax.”  Brian took his hand and tugged him out onto the patio.  He didn’t stop there though, taking him down onto the beach towards the surf.  “We’ve been so busy with… _other_ activities that we haven’t gotten to just enjoy the beach.”

“Didn’t hear much complaining about those ‘other activities’ there, Buster,” Vince teased, letting the Alpha pull him down to the sand, just out of reach of the gentle waves that lapped up onto the shore.

Brian grinned.  “This is true.”  He leaned over, giving the brunette a gentle kiss.  “But I like just spendin’ time with you, V.”

Vince quirked his lips.  “Yeah, me too, Bri.”

The Alpha grinned, pulling his lover down to the sand, linking their hands together as they simply relaxed.  After a while of just listening to the waves and the Omega’s gentle breathing, Brian spoke.  “I wanna teach you to surf.”

“What?”  Vince chuckled, shaking his head.  “Uh, dunno if you’ve noticed there Buster, but ‘m not the most coordinated person.”  In fact, he was downright like a bull in a china shop.

“Aww, come on.  You’ll do fine.”

Thinking over it a moment, the Omega replied, “Alright.  But I get to teach you to play guitar.”

Smiling softly, Brian whispered, “Deal.”

Leaning in, he captured Vince’s lips.  Their kissing was languid, but no less full of passion.  Brian pressed the other into the sand, upper body hovering over him.  His hand slipped up Vince’s shirt, running lightly along his abdomen muscles, causing the Omega to laugh.

Retaliating, Vince rolled them, straddling the Alpha’s waist.  Smiling at each other, Brian grabbed the hem of the brunette’s shirt, pulling it off and tossing it haphazardly onto the sand.  His fingers played with the button of Vince’s jeans, but he didn’t get any further as his wrists were captured and held above his head.  The Omega stretched out on top of him, pressing their lips together, tongue demanding entrance.

Brian allowed the Omega to take the lead, not that he was being passive.  He nipped at Vince’s lip before swallowing the moans as Brian rolled his hips up into him.  He could feel as much as smell the Omega’s arousal, coming into another cycle.  It was sweeter smelling, late into his heat- the best part of it.

Sure enough, Vince felt the heat rising in him as the cycle started.  It was even milder than the last couple had been and it wasn’t uncomfortable in the least.  It was a pleasant warmth and all his senses heightened.  The slightest touch became enhanced and he pressed more into the body below him.  “Want you,” he graveled out into Brian’s ear.

The Alpha rolled them over, leaning back on his haunches to take his shirt off, not missing the way hazel eyes tracked the movement.  Brian smirked, slowly undoing his shorts, teasing his partner.  Vince wasn’t having any of it though, reaching up and yanking the shorts and boxers down in one go.  Laughing, Brian joked, “Someone’s anxious.”

“Shut up and get in me Buster,” Vince growled back, but there was a playful twinkle in his eyes.

“Spoiled Omega,” Brian concluded, lowering the zipper of Vince’s jeans.

Once they shucked themselves out of the rest of their clothes, Brian draped over him.  The warm skin on his own made Vince suck in a breath, letting it out in a slow, wanting noise.  As he spread his legs more, allowing Brian to lay in the cradle of his body, he realized something.  “I’m gonna have sand in places it was _not_ meant to go.”

Brian chuckled.  “Don’t worry, we’ll be careful.”  He nuzzled into Vince’s neck as he added, “Besides, we can have a nice hot shower afterward.”

“Mmm, I like the way you think,” Vince admitted, wiggling a bit underneath the Alpha.  He felt the natural slick from his heat leaking, preparing him for his lover.  “Ready Bri,” he breathed, pressing up into him pointedly.

Nostrils flaring, Brian took in more of that sweet scent and smiled softly.  He dipped down, capturing Vince’s lips, at the same time, breaching inside of him.  Vince gasped into the Alpha’s mouth, which turned into a groan of pleasure as Brian began to move.

Taking hold of Vince’s wrists, the Alpha pinned them to the sand.  Brian pulled and pushed ever so gently, rolling his hips like the waves of the ocean beside them.  Breathy sighs escaped them both, Vince swaying against Brian at the Alpha’s pace.

Every single touch was enhanced, sensations rippling under Vince’s skin that he’d never felt before.  He whimpered at the warmth building in his gut.  “Brian,” he breathed.  “Need to touch you.”  He flexed his hands pointedly, so Brian would feel the movement where he held him.

Brian didn’t hesitate to release him, only pushing deeper into the Omega, making him moan softly.  Vince hooked a leg around the back of Brian’s knee, his arms wrapping around the Alpha.  Fingers threaded into blonde locks, pulling him down into a passionate kiss.

When they broke apart for air, their eyes met and Brian smiled.  “Love you, V,” he whispered.  He watched the emotions pass behind hazel eyes, and the genuine smile that crossed the Omega’s face reached them.

Vince licked the Alpha’s lower lip, nibbling it a moment before replying.  “Love you too.”  His tongue slipped into Brian’s mouth, and he felt fingers in his own hair, pulling gently.

When the Omega bucked up against Brian, the kiss broke, but Vince was far from done with the Alpha.  Teeth latched onto the side of Brian’s neck and he moaned loudly.  He thrust deeper, harder into the willing heat.  He loved all the noises the Omega made, and loved it even more that _he_ was the one making Vince fall apart.

“Need you, baby,” Brian whispered huskily in his ear.

Vince moaned into his neck.  “So close,” he managed.

The Alpha pulled him closer, giving a few sharp thrusts that had Vince coming.  As the Omega threw his head back, groaning in pleasure, Brian was coming as well.  He took a certain satisfaction, feeling his seed filling Vince.  It was most likely the Alpha in him, wanting Vince to belong to him- body and soul- and for himself to belong to Vince.

That thought made Brian smile, and as he caught his breath he looked down at the Omega.  Vince blinked a few times but then hazel eyes focused on him, filled with love.  Nuzzling into Vince’s neck, the Alpha rolled them onto their sides.

They curled around each other, limbs twinning together, just enjoying having the other close.  They stayed that way for a while, until Vince groaned.  The Alpha’s cum was starting to seep out and dry on his skin.  Not only that, but he was painfully aware of them still being naked.

“Clothes,” he spoke in answer to Brian’s questioning look.  Brian chuckled, nodding his head and letting him sit up.

As the pair pulled their clothing back on, Vince grunted, “I need that shower you mentioned.  Damn sand.”

Brian smirked.  “You liked it though.”  Vince snorted, but the Alpha didn’t miss the sly look on his face. “Come on.”  He offered his hand to Vince.  “Let’s go get cleaned up and then we can make dinner.”

“Sounds like a plan,” he answered, taking his hand.  As they walked inside, Vince randomly asked, “Did you ever want a dog?”

Smiling, Brian nodded.  “Yeah.  Had one as a kid.  Been wantin’ one since I moved to LA.”

Vince smiled softly.  “Always wanted a dog,” he admitted.  He paused at the sliding door, looking out towards the ocean and the sun starting its decline in the sky.  “Just keep seeing a dog here s’all.”

Brian stepped up to him, kissing along his jaw.  “Sounds nice, V.”  He carded his fingers into thick brown hair, drawing the attention of hazel eyes.  “How ‘bout we look at the pound some time.  See if we can find a dog we like.”

Vince’s eyes lit up at the idea.  “Yeah?”  Brian nodded, not helping the smile on his face at how happy the Omega was.  “I’d really like that.”  He pulled the Alpha close, giving him a hug.  “Thank you, Bri.”

Brian nuzzled into the brunette’s neck, whispering, “Anything for you V.”

* * *

The day it was over and the pair walked into the garage, there were many catcalls and hoots thrown their way.  “Yeah, yeah,” Vince snarked.  “Keep it up.”  He took a jab at Leon, both laughing good naturedly as they each threw a few more punches.

Brian came up behind the Omega, snagging his arm and pulling him in.  “Sounds like they wanna know what we’ve been up to,” he suggested, giving him a sly grin.  Vince made a rumbling sound of approval, body drawing flush against the Alpha.  The kiss was like their others, passionate, deep, and filled with love.  They could have been lost in it forever had they not been interrupted.

“‘Ey,” Dom’s graveled voice carried through the garage.  “Save it for the bedroom.”  When they looked over at him, he smirked.  “Or at least somewhere less public.”  

The couple laughed.  “A’right, Dom,” Vince conceded.

His best friend tilted his head to the side, indicating for them to join him in the office.  “I assume everything went well?” he inquired, not being able to keep the slight smile off his face.

“Yeah, Dom,” Vince assured, giving a genuine smile.  “Everything’s fine with me and the Buster here.”

Brian gave a mock snort, hip checking the Omega.  “Yeah, the spoiled brat and me did alright.”

“Spoiled my ass,” Vince threw back, only to flush when both Alphas grinned lewdly.  “Bastard,” he muttered.

They were laughing it up when Jesse popped his head in.  “Hey, Bri,” he spoke, barely containing his excitement.  “It’s ready.”

“Yeah?” Brian asked, perking up instantly.

“What is?” Vince asked.

“The Eclipse,” Jesse answered, bouncing on the balls of his feet.  “Bri called to tell me what to do in paint since you two were, uh, indisposed.”

“Really?”  He looked to the Alpha.  “What is it?”

Brian just grinned brightly.  “Why don’t we go look?” he suggested, taking hold of Vince’s hand.

When they went out into the garage, they found the team had pulled the Eclipse into the garage, Letty, Leon, and Mia all waiting for the big reveal.  “So, what you think man?” Jesse inquired, stepping out of the way so they could see.

“Shit, Jess!” Brian exclaimed.  He couldn’t find the words.  It was just…  “Perfect,” he breathed.

It was the same royal blue as Vince’s Maxima but added silver flake into the paint.  The decals were off-white angel wings flowing down the sides, and on both rear quarter panels was something just a little special.  He had spotted it right off, but then he knew what to look for.  He was just waiting to see Vince’s reaction.

The Alpha didn’t have to wait long, as Vince ran his hand along the side, nodding in approval.  “Beautiful, Bri,” he said, turning to smirk at him.  “Pick the color for a reason?”  Brian only smiled, giving Vince the answer he needed.

When he got to the quarter panel his hand stopped, finding the silver decal outlined in black- an Alpha and Omega symbol, overlapping each other, together as one.  “Bri…?”

“That ok?” the blonde asked, wrapping his arms low around Vince’s waist, looking over his shoulder.

It was quiet for a few moments as Vince continued to stare at the decal, fingers tracing the symbols.  Eventually he smiled softly.  “Yeah, Buster,” he murmured.  “That’s pretty cool.”  He turned around in his embrace, arms wrapping around his neck as he leaned in to give him a soft kiss.  “I might want one of those actually.”

“I think that can be arranged,” Jesse spoke up, grinning over at them as he held up a pair of additional decals he had made up just for that reason.

“Love you, V,” Brian spoke into his ear.

Vince kissed him, fingers running into his hair.  He placed their foreheads together, looking into deep blue eyes.  “I love you too, Bri.”  They stood there holding each other, finding strength and warmth in the other’s embrace.

This was the partnership they’d been searching for.

* * *

Race Wars.  Brian was in car heaven, and the rest of the team could only chuckle at his abundant enthusiasm.  They remembered their first time in the desert as well, and even doing this for years there was always a certain amount of excitement to be had.

Their cars were the ones to beat that year, all of them cleaning up at their drags.  Brian’s Eclipse was a real eye-catcher with its new look, and no one missed the fact Vince was sporting the Alpha’s decals.  The Omega didn’t seem to mind that everyone knew he was claimed.  In fact, he took great joy in pulling the Alpha into a searing kiss whenever one of them returned with a stack of cash.

“Looks like I’ll be paying you back in one go there Dom,” the blonde mused, waving his latest winnings.  He’d been earning what Dom had fronted him for building the car, and he figured on having even more before the long weekend was out.

Dom waved his hand.  “Not exactly worried ‘bout that, Bri.  You’re family.”

Vince smirked over at him.  “Damn right.”  He reached up, pulling Brian down into his lap, nuzzling into his neck.  To outsiders it may have seemed weird- the Omega in the seemingly more dominant position- but the pair had come to an understanding.  It was just as Brian had kept telling Vince- they were equals in every way.

Not helping the smile, Dom watched the couple, happy for his best friend to have finally found someone.   Brian was worthy enough, that much was certain.  He looked over at his own mate, chatting with his little sister.  Seeming to sense his gaze, Letty looked up, giving him a soft smile before returning to whatever Mia and she had been discussing.

“I ain’t seen Tran and company around,” Leon noted, he and Jesse sitting on the picnic table that they’d drug underneath the tarps that made up their camp.

“Hmm, yeah,” Dom replied, gravel voice deep in contemplation as he looked around.  He hadn’t noticed until then that he’d seen neither hide nor hair of the Asian gang since they’d arrived.  “Not that I’m gonna complain,” he thought aloud.

“Amen to that,” Vince huffed out.  Tran had always rubbed him the wrong way, and it had nothing to do with the guy being an Alpha.

Brian only smirked, trying to hide a snicker, but Dom caught him.  He narrowed his gaze, looking at him suspiciously.  “And just what do you know ‘bout it O’Conner?”

Attempting innocence he asked, “Whadda ya mean Dom?”

Vince gave him a solid squeeze around the middle.  “Spill,” he ordered, smacking the man on the ass when all he did was give the Omega that big surfer grin of his.

“Tran’s not gonna be botherin’ anyone for quite a while,” Brian finally answered.

“And _how_ do we know that?” the other Alpha inquired.  Leon and Jesse hoped from their perch to come closer and the youngest even called the girls over.

“Sup?” Letty inquired.

“The Buster here seems to know why Tran’s MIA,” the Alpha explained

“Look, when we met I may not have been a cop anymore, but that doesn’t stop me from thinking like one,” Brian began.  “Knew Tran and his gang were bad news from the start- didn’t need you to tell me, didn’t need to know that we’d tried to get something on him for a while- I just knew lookin’ at him.  Call it the training, but I just could never leave well enough alone when he was at the races and stuff, so…”  He shrugged.  “I listened in a few times.”  To Vince’s skeptical expression he admitted, “Alright, so more than a few.  The point is I ended up getting some information.”

“Like?” Vince inquired.

“Like the fencing operation he had going, or the semi-truck thefts.  Just shit he and his boys were discussing was just this side of fishy enough to get someone to look into the details they slipped.  So I called my old Sarge.  Sure as shit, he called me and said it was a good tip, they’d finally found something.  And he wanted _me_ wearing the wire and going in to meet with Tran.”

“When the fuck did this happen?!” Vince demanded, blunt nails digging into Brian’s hip bone and side.

Brian smiled, tilting his head doggishly to the side.  “Just the other day.”  Vince was taken off-guard, but Dom just nodded sagely.

“When you disappeared for those few hours,” he realized.  They had all wondered why Brian would just up and leave in the middle of a work day, especially so close to Race Wars.  At the time, he had claimed one of Harry’s guys had a family emergency and needed a hand for a bit until he could find someone else to come in.

“He wanted me to do it earlier this week,” Brian continued, looking at Vince.  “But I wasn’t leaving you alone while you were in heat.”  He leaned in nuzzling the Omega’s cheek.  “Tanner got that, so he agreed to wait if I promised to do it.”

 _That phone call,_ Vince realized, the one he had walked in on.  

It had been the tail end of his heat.  His last couple cycles had been mild, just as they were supposed to be.  It was nothing he couldn’t have handled alone, and yet even knowing this Brian hadn’t left his side.  The brunette whined softly in the back of his throat, realizing what the Alpha had done for him.  Brian only nuzzled deeper into his neck, moving closer.

“So, what?” Jesse asked.  “You like went all undercover spy and shit?”

Brian chuckled, coming up for air then.  “Yeah, somethin’ like that Jess.”  He laughed a little more before explaining.  “Nah, I was wired up for sound and video.  Went in trying to get Tran into fencing some stolen cars and parts.  He obviously knew me.  Knew I hung with you guys, that I worked at Harry’s.  So, he didn’t have any doubts that I could have the goods.  Even brought him a sample.”  He grinned.  “Tran fell for it hook, line, and sinker.  We got our evidence, and our warrant.  Now with all the stuff they recovered at his warehouse and garage, he and his cousin are both behind bars, and they’re gonna stay there too.”

“That…  Is epic,” Jesse spoke, Leon nodded in agreement.

“Crafty,” Letty added, giving the blonde a sly smile.

“Do you have to testify?” Mia asked.

Brian shrugged.  “I don’t really have to.  Tanner has my statement, but it always looks better when they can put an officer on the stand.”

“Officer?” Dom questioned.

If it were possible, Brian’s grin became even brighter.  “Yeah.  ‘Cause of my help, Tanner offered my Detective’s badge.  Had been what I’d been wanting for years now, and he knows it too.”

“What did ya say?” Vince inquired, voice suddenly quiet.

Brian met his gaze, tilting his head as he answered casually, “Told ‘im I’d have to talk ‘bout it with you first.”

“Me?  What’s it matter what I gotta say?” he asked in confusion.

With a smile that could make anyone melt, Brian answered, “Well, if you’re gonna be my mate... then I wanna know your opinion.”

Vince’s jaw fell and the team became deathly quiet.  “I…”  The Omega closed his mouth, brows furrowing.  Brian just stayed silent, letting the other man process it.  “What are you trying to say, Bri?” he finally inquired, though by his quiet tone it was easy to see Vince knew, he just wasn’t sure how to take it.

“Pretty sure I’m asking you to get bonded with me,” he answered, placing their foreheads together.  When Vince only hesitated, Brian slipped off his lap, kneeling in front of the Omega.  “V…” When hazel eyes met his, he smiled softly.  “Be my mate?”

There was a pause before a smile slowly spread across Vince’s face.  “Yeah, Brian,” he replied warmly.  “Only ever could be you.”

Brian surged forward, claiming Vince’s lips.  Both were surprised by the overwhelming sense of happiness such a simple question could have, but they didn’t care.  At the end of the day, only the answer mattered.

Somehow the Alpha managed to pull away to allow them a chance to breathe, and that was when they realized the rest of the team were cat-calling and congratulating them.  Brian smiled at his mate-to-be, nuzzling his jaw.  “Promise, V…” he murmured, an affirmation that had become so normal- though nonetheless meaningful- between them.

“Yeah, Bri… me too.”  Vince gave his Alpha a kiss- and boy was that a new concept, _his_ Alpha.  “I love you.”

“Love you too… my mate.”  He kissed along Vince’s jaw.

Vince couldn’t help but melt at the sentiment, sighing happily as he leaned further into Brian’s embrace.  “My Alpha,” he confirmed, giving a slight possessive growl as he added, “ _Mate_.”

“Yours.”

The pair held each other for a long while, simply taking comfort in the other’s presence.

* * *

It wasn’t a month later when Vince and Brain were walking hand and hand up the drive of the Toretto house.  When they got to the back yard, the rest of their family and friends were there, greeting them with cheers and raised glasses.  Vince ducked his head, unused to the attention, but Brian just beamed, wrapping his arm around the Omega’s waist, pulling him closer.

“It’s our day baby,” the blonde whispered in his ear.  “Enjoy it.”  Vince nodded, leaning more into his mate, giving him a soft kiss.

The pair had just been officially mated, the bonding ceremony nothing more than having the team with them down at the courthouse, joined together by a judge.  Nothing fancy, no tuxes, flowers, and music- just each other and their family that mattered most.  While the pair had driven back to Brian’s- the home they’d be sharing together now- the rest of the team had gone back to prep the celebratory party, a backyard BBQ with friends from the scene invited.

Before they could join the festivities, there was one last thing to the bonding ceremony- but that had to be performed in private.  The fresh mating bites adorning their necks were covered with gauze to keep them clean.  Because of the nature of them, they would take a long time to heal, being reopened again and again so they would be made to scar.  Each couple selected their own places for them- not always visible- and they had chosen to have them on the left side of the neck, up above the collarbone.

Touching the fresh mating mark, Vince smiled.  He met the Alpha's eyes, getting lost in the swirling blue depths.  "Thanks, V," he said.

"For what?"

Brian's grin only grew.  "For making me the happiest man ever," he answered, leaning in to steal a kiss.

Melting against his Alpha, Vince made a contented noise in the back of his throat.  Brian was one to talk.  As far as the Omega was concerned, he’d found his other half, and that made him happier than he’d ever been.

_Neither man knew what the future would bring them.  They only knew that with the other at their side, they could go anywhere, do anything, and they would be forever whole.  Brian and Vince.  Alpha and Omega.  The beginning and the end._

/End

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Follow me on [Tumblr](http://thedenofcaseywolfe.tumblr.com/).


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